We’ve got volunteers…but we don’t really have the number of volunteers we want to take our ministry where we want it to go. Here’s 4 things I believe will help us make our goal.
1. GETTING REAL. Deciding how many volunteers you really want to take your ministry where you envision it. For small groups, we know we need 183 more because we really envision small groups as being small groups (not 1 adult for 20 kids). For our tech team we need an additional 45 for our new family service and regular elementary worship. I believe it’s important to get real and decide what you really want to take your ministry where it needs to go…instead of just getting by on what you have.
2. PHONE CALLS OVER EMAIL. Let’s be honest. It’s really easy to send out an email, and on the reverse end, it’s really easy to ignore an email. It’s so tempting, but I firmly believe that personal things like face to face interactions, meals, phone calls, and cards are the best way to go.
3. SPAN OF CARE. I think this is the most important one. Let’s be honest one more time. One person CAN’T have a meaningful relationship with 85 volunteers, Continue reading ‘Getting (and keeping) 183 new volunteers.’
“When everything’s said and done there’s usually more said than done…..”
I had an interesting thought that I wrote about on my other blog.
We read, we listen, we attend workshop after workshop but somewhere we have to do more than get coaching we have to do what the coach says. If you want to improve in an area you have to apply what your learning.
Why do we run to the vendor area and look for the children’s ministry easy button? It’s not there. Tools can help, I love them but if you want to improve in an area you have to apply what your learning.
Why do we think if we keep doing the same old things we’ll get different results. Plain and simple - if you want different results it calls for different actions. You need to apply the Nike principle and “just do it!”
Small towns have their advantages. I have spent my whole life living in a small town. Some small town perks include friendly neighbors, a good school system, a safe community, and even a post office where the mail will get to you even if it has the wrong address. We can become so used to these things that we don’t notice them - until they are gone. This is true in so many areas of life.
This is also the danger we face as we do children’s ministry. If we’re not careful, the important things can become so familiar to of us that we can easily go through the motion of ministry and forget what really matters.
Driving home today from the church, I jotted down some things that I’m thankful for.
Continue reading ‘Small towns have their advantages’
At Children’s Pastors’ Conference I bought a book from Gospel Light called “Teacher”. It’s the story of Dr. Henrietta Mears, the founder of Gospel Light. What an amazing story. I read the book in one day - it’s a quick read and very inspirational. Henrietta Mears was a classy lady who wore thick glasses and a hat but had a burning passion in her heart for the Christian Education of young people. God used her deeply in the beginning ministry of Billy Graham. He wrote about her, “I doubt if any other woman outside my wife and mother has had such a marked influence on my life. She is certainly one of the greatest Christians I have ever known.”
If I loaned you my copy of the book, you would see it underlined on almost every page. One of Henrietta’s quotes that spoke the loudest to me was this, “There is no magic in small plans. When I consider my ministry, I think of the world. Anything less than that would not be worthy of Christ nor His will for my life.”
There is no magic in small plans. I am convinced that God wants us to think big and plan big. Consider your ministry. Is your focus on the week-to-week routine, on the people problems and headaches, or on the big picture? Those lumps of coal in your classroom are really diamonds in the rough. Those young people that march in and out of your church each weekend can be a marching army in the work of God. That lesson you are preparing for this Sunday might be the one that ignites a flame in the heart of the next Billy Graham or Henrietta Mears. Don’t get suckered into thinking small - remember that there is no magic in small plans.
3….2….1…touchdown. The EAGLE has landed. THE WAY WE SEE IT is live!
I recently went to a family get-together with my big brother and his new wife and all the family. It really amazed me about how different we all were…we really put the ‘fun’ in dysfunctional. But, we all came together for one reason though. We shared a common bond of love with my bro and his wife. This blog is kind of similar…4 guys from different parts of the country with totally different backgrounds and personalities teaming up. The cool thing is that we all share one common bond: our desire to connect Kids to Christ. Jim, Ryan, and Evan are wise, fun, creative, and passionate about kids ministry and this is going to make for some great get-togethers.
Besides being a professional taste-tester for KFC, I’m one of 8 Elementary Ministers at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky and I’m extremely humbled to get to be a part of THE WAY WE SEE IT.
Here’s a little of what’s going on this month in the ministry I work with:
1. Just got back from the NAB video technology conference in Las Vegas.
2. Gearing up for camp this summer…our theme: Camp Like An Egyptian
3. Working on new summer curriculum on video that we’re shooting ourselves themed around camping.
4. Volunteer Recruitment…we still need 183 more small group leaders. Yikes!
5. Hiring and training a new intern for the coming year…scary stuff.
Well, thanks for being a part of this ‘get-together.’ Hope to see you again real soon.
Hey! This is Evan Doyle, and I’m the teenager on this blog. As Ryan has already mentioned, I am the Technology Director for KidzMatter, and for the Children’s Ministry at our church. I have grown up in Ryan’s children’s ministry since day 1, so we’ve known each other for quite some time. I got started working in ministry in 2003 at the age of 12 running the PowerPoint for our Sunday morning Kids’ Church. At the time, the computer we were running only had a floppy drive, so imagine trying to fit a PowerPoint with pictures and text onto a 1.44 MB floppy drive. Not fun. Since then, we’ve had 2 new computers, moved our entire song library from PowerPoint to MediaShout, and some other fun stuff. But that’s not my entire life.
I am also a home-schooled sophomore in high school (only 2 more weeks!). In 2004, I attended teen camp in 7th grade and felt a strong calling to Children’s Ministry. This has allowed me to take advantage of some amazing opportunities with Ryan. So I’ve taken on a volunteer position with KidzMatter, working in the office on Tuesdays. You may also remember meeting me at the KidzMatter booth at CPC, in both Orlando and San Diego this year. Another position I hold is as the Technology Support guy. If you’ve ever submitted a Trouble Ticket, I probably responded to it. In addition to all of this, I also hold a part-time job at a local Long John Silvers/A&W. So all in all, I have a very busy life.
Ryan, KidzMatter, and the other blog posters here have very much become like friends and mentors, and help me to grow as God would like. I look forward to sharing with you through this blog, and hearing your comments and advice. It is an honor to be given this opportunity, and to be mentored by such great people. See you again soon, and have a great day!
Jim Wideman here and yes I’m on another blog! I am so excitied about being a part of this adventure. I believe the cruise was a divine appointment for me to meet Ryan. I love hanging out with young children’s pastors. A lot of things have changed in my 30 years of children’s ministry and I know a lot more things will change in the next 30. I’m excited about the future of children’s ministry. I’ve been a children’s pastor in my 20’s, 30’s, 40’s and now in my 50’s. I’ve had to do a lot of changing and have had to reinvent myself several times over the years to stay relevant and current. Surrounding myself with young, big thinking children’s pastors is one way I’ve been able to do this. So here I am on another blog doing just that surrounding my self with young, big thinking children’s pastors. When you look at the line up here it’s easy to spot which are the young ones, who’s the teen ager and who’s the old one. I’m honored to be a part of this project and to be the old one learning and growing with the young ones. I want to spend the rest of life and ministry teaching and learning with the next generation of children’s pastors. I glad you stopped by to join the party. I can’t wait to get started. Thanks Ryan for including me. That’s “the way I see it!” Welcome aboard!
In January I had the opportunity to speak with Jim Wideman (Church on the Move) at a children’s ministry conference. We spent several nights “burning the midnight oil” talking and dreaming about children’s ministry. One thing we talked about was how fun it would be to do a blog together. We’ve been talking about it ever since and the time has finally come to launch the new blog.
Instead of hearing only from Jim and I, you’re also going to hear from Nevan Hooker and Evan Doyle. Nevan is the Product Development Director for KidzMatter.com and serves on the children’s ministry staff at Southeast Christian Church. Evan is the Technology Director for KidzMatter.com and volunteers in the children’s ministry at my church.
One of the cool things about this blog is that you will hear from a teenager, two mid-aged guys, and a guy with gray hair and lots of wisdom to share. We hope that this wide spectrum will create a fun and informative community where we can share ideas and thoughts.
Keep your eyes on this blog because it’s going to be popping with the 411 that you need to effectively minister to kids! Thanks for your support and have a blessed day.
